Jasper Couty School District shrugs off F

Sunday

For the second consecutive year each of the Jasper County School District's schools scored an "F" on their federal report cards.

But the school district isn't putting much emphasis on the grades.

Citing "wild swings in results" across the state, the district said in a statement Monday the calculation methodology is a "trick implemented" by the South Carolina Department of Education to get a letter grade that only it believes to be credible and meaningful.

The state department of education countered by saying the data clearly shows the county's students aren't improving.

"It's disappointing for the Jasper County School District not to reflect upon itself," said Jay W. Ragley, department of education spokesman. "Student learning is not producing for the community it serves. If the school board is not making changes, then the people should hold them accountable and make changes. There's a real sadness. Students aren't learning as well as they could be in Jasper County."

According to data released by the state, the school district scored 27.3 points on a 100-point weighted scale, the lowest in the state. The district's elementary grades scored 33.1; middle school grades scored 20.6; and high school scored a 28.9. The Jasper County District is one of nine districts in the state that scored an "F."

This is the second year letter grades have been used. The state released scores for the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards and the High School Assessment Program.

Statewide, 77 percent of school districts and 76 percent of schools met the state's expectation, which is a grade of "C" or better.

Parts of the federal accountability system include reporting subgroup performance; eliminating Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and awarding schools and school districts partial credit for improvement in student achievement; rewarding schools that demonstrate significant achievement and improvement; and identifying schools with the lowest performance and largest achievement gaps, and providing targeted interventions for the students in those schools.

HSAP tests English language arts and mathematics as a state-mandated exit exam required for a South Carolina high school diploma. It also serves as part of a federally mandated program to assess high school progress. For PASS, students in third through eighth grades are tested in writing, English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.

The South Carolina School Boards Association expressed concern with the scoring as the school district noted Executive Director Paul Krohne saying that the swings in schools going "from an A to an F or from an F to an A in one year is enough to indicate the volatility of the method the state department of education uses to calculate the grades."

Thirty-nine of the state's 85 districts received worse letter grades and only eight had improved scores. Twenty-one school districts went from an "A" to an "F."

About 75 percent of schools met state expectations, which was less than last year's 84 percent, but Ragley said that is not a significant difference and the decline reflects "the simple fact that the system we put in place expects improvement every year from school and school districts."

Since the goals set were higher, fewer schools met the goals. Ragley said the state is confident in the long-term effectiveness of the system.

"The letter grades are an important transparent process to inform the public," Ragley said.

He said Jasper County's school board and superintendent must "take ownership of these problems."

"They have to acknowledge they have a problem first, before they can improve," he said.

The Jasper County School District said it doesn't think much of the federal letter grades.

"We put no stock in those calculations or the resulting letter grades and will spend very little time talking about those," the JCSD said in Monday's statement.

PASS scoring

Students in third through eighth grades are tested in writing, English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Here are some highlights:

For 2012-13, Ridgeland Elementary School, 45.1 percent of fourth-graders met writings standards, but 56.3 percent of third-graders and 57.7 percent of fifth-graders did not. Forty-three percent of fourth-graders met mathematics standards, but 63.3 percent of third-graders and 53.8 percent of fifth-graders did not.

In English Language Arts, 57.6 percent of third-graders met or were exemplary, but at least half of third- and fourth-graders failed to meet standards.

At Hardeeville-Ridgeland Middle, 54 percent of sixth-graders, 50.8 percent of seventh-graders and 52.2 percent of eighth-graders did not meet writing standards. For English Language Arts, 60.4 percent of sixth-graders, 53.8 percent of seventh-graders and 62.2 percent of eighth-graders failed to meet standards.

At Hardeeville Elementary, 59.8 percent of third-graders, 55.4 percent of fourth-graders and 52.7 percent of fifth-graders either met or were exemplary in writing. In ELA, 67.9 percent of third-graders met or were exemplary, but 73.8 percent of third-graders didn't meet math standards. In social studies, 53.3 percent of fourth-graders met or were exemplary, but 55.8 percent of third-graders did not meet standards.

HSAP scoring

For Ridgeland-Hardeeville High, 204 students were tested in ELA and 203 in math. In ELA, 77 percent of students met the HSAP standard (demonstrated competent or greater skills and knowledge), including 81.7 percent of females.

In comparison, last year, 81.2 percent of students tested at Hardeeville Middle/High met the HSAP standard for English language arts and 76.6 percent of Ridgeland High students met ELA standards.

For math in 2012-13, 47.8 percent of all students met standards. Last year, 63.8 percent of Hardeeville Middle/High students passed math and 54.1 percent at Ridgeland High passed.

For grades go to http://ed.sc.gov/data/esea/2013.

Charter school scores 'F'

Royal Live Oaks Academy, a first-year charter school in Hardeeville, also received an "F." It scored 50.5.

The school said since it has no ESEA testing history for which the state can project growth, the grade has "little meaning in and of itself."

The school noted its point total was better than Hardeeville Elementary and Hardeeville-Ridgeland Middle schools' scores.

"We are extremely encouraged by the academic growth of our students from their previous school environment," RLOA's Karen Wicks said. "Our staff is excited about the upcoming school year and what we are offering our students. As a Title I school, we know the challenges our students face. We provide a nurturing environment in which high expectations are balanced with individual care."

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